It didn’t take them too long for them to reach a stream and it was at the right place - an opened field with a few trees - this was good because he wouldn’t have to worry about a monster attacking them without seeing it until it’s too late.

He kept his bag beside a rock and helped his sister take off her clothes, which he took to the end of the stream to wash while she took a dip in the stream. It wasn’t deep, neither was it wide but it was enough to rest in. She sat in the middle, the water barely reaching above her chest.

After a while, Bell came back, spread their clothes on the rock and also helped himself into the stream.

[Current Quest]

[Pass the exam within three days]

[Time left: 09:13:38]

[Reward: ???]

[Penalty: ???]

Bell looked at the quest menu flickered into existence, he was the countdown for a while but his thoughts were far from a simple quest. He waited for a while, hoping for the system to read his mind and give him a new quest but that didn’t happen.

_Nevermind_ he thought. All he knew that he was going to kill that monster before he leaves the forest.

He let out a sighed then something popped into his mind. When he saved Astoria from the wolves, the system rewarded him with a gift and it also happened after he cured the poison. His hand navigated the screen and there it was, right in the reward tab.

He tapped on the first gift and suddenly a little glowing pink box appeared in front of him. He wanted to touch it but it opened, revealing a small glowing sphere. Bell waited for the sphere to do something but it didn’t, as he tried to carry it, the sphere suddenly shattered into peices and flew straight into his head, then his vision went dark.

...

As he opened his eyes, a bright lights shone into his eyes, forcing him to close his eyes immediately before opening them again slowly, letting his eyes adjust to the light.

At first as he could see was nothing but a void, but it wasn’t dark. Instead, it was bright, beautiful colors of blue and white spread across the void in every direction. It looked like... heaven, but something made him feel like he had been there before.

_Where am i?_ he thought as he looked around but couldn’t find anything in sight, that was until a voice spoke in front of him.

"Another soul?, How sad" the voice was calm yet filled with grief, like it was sad. But for some reason, it was also comforting and made him feel at ease. "And you died the day your wife finally gave birth"

Bell quickly shifted his gaze to the voice, which was surprisingly right in front of him.

_How long have she been there?_ He couldn’t help but wonder, he didn’t see her the first time he looked around.

She stood up from her chair elegantly and bowed to him, "I’m Hilda, the goddess of nature" then sat down, crossing her legs as she leaned on the armchair. Her eyes rested on him as she asked. "You must be Kaganashi Hugo, am I right?"

...

Bell jumped up, only to find himself in a stream, the same place he and his sister had decided to rest. He looked around, seemingly confused.

_What was that?_ He held his head, it was painful. _I saw that woman from somewhere, but where_

With the system screen still in front of him, he tapped on the second gift. Hopefully, he would see what happened after that. But instead another screen came to existence, display a message.

[CONGRATULATIONS]

[Player gained a new skill]

[Absorp]

[Playet can absorb the soul of fallen allies or foes and summon them in battle or use their best skill. Cost: 100MP, no cooldown]

Then a thought came to his mind, this was way too convenient. It’s like the system want him to absorb Astoria and for a moment he actually thought it was a good idea, but as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he liked when Astoria was around and he was sure Ryu liked her too. Absorbing her soul might sound it but he wasn’t sure how she’ll look like or evenact, will she be like her normal self or will she be a puppet for him to command. He just couldn’t do it, she deserve a proper burial.

"Big brother" Ryu brought Bell back from his thoughts. "Something is coming"

"Huh?" Bell immediately jumped on his feet, it must be the giant wolf. But he already washed himself, how is it able to track him down. "Unless..."

The rushed to his clothes and put them on before helping Ryu with her clothes, the armour might come in handy but he couldn’t decide whether to take it or not. It wasn’t the best and it already looked worn out.

The ground began to tremble and growling of the wolf could be heard from meters away as it approaches. Bell was sure, the giant wolf was after him but how was able to know where he was. That was a question he couldn’t answer but he knew it was not his scent. Or could it be that the system is attracting it to me.

_If that is the case, then... they is no use of running away_

"Ryu, can you tell how far is it?"

Ryu nodded and looked around the pointed toward west, "I’m not sure but it’s not close yet"

That was enough for Bell, it meant they have enough time to get ready. Bell held his sister’s hand and lead her into the forest.

Not long after that few monsters just out of the opposite direction and landed in the stream only to find worn out armour. And surprisingly, it was the giant wolf. Instead they were normal sized wolves, just like the one he had fought with Astoria.

"Are there any more monsters nearby?" Bell turned to Ryu who simply shook her head. _Is the wolf sending them?_

But to be honest, he couldn’t care any less. He activated his [Dash] skill and in an instant he sliced through the wolves like paper.